Charming as a Verb

“The first hustle, if you want to call it that, is also the simplest: Smiling. Now, please don’t be one of those douche-nozzles that go around telling women to smile more or anything, but as far as the daily life of a seventeen-year-old Black guy of above-average height goes in this city, I learned a long time ago that smiling goes a very long way.”

Henri immediately characterizes himself through his smile. The smile is a symbol of his hustle and also of his internalization of society’s expectations and projections. To be Black in New York City means to be in constant danger of scaring racists, and Henri uses his smile to disarm people and reveal his kindness. This stressor on his identity highlights that Henri is acutely aware of how society perceives and judges him and fights back using his charm. The smile is also a mask that foreshadows Henri’s identity crisis.

“A good chunk of Haltiwanger money comes with a ‘we’ pronoun. It’s all household money. Three people, one set of bills.”

This quote emphasizes the Haltiwanger family as a tight-knit unit that supports and relies on one another. Unlike most of his peers at FATE Academy, Henri has adult responsibilities in his family. He contributes financially to the family household out of necessity. Henri is happy to help his family, but his lack of financial privilege in contrast with his wealthy peers at school is a source of shame for him. This quote demonstrates that, far from being shameful, Henri’s relationship with his family is one that is close, supportive, and based on helping one another, which shows the strength of the family.